DMN: SMU Also Faces Emotional Superdome Game in Tulane

[MrMustang1965]

By KATE HAIROPOULOS / The Dallas Morning News

UNIVERSITY PARK – For much of the country, the captivating story this week centers on the reopening of the Louisiana Superdome.

Saturday, SMU plays the role of opponent for Tulane's first game in the dome since 2004. It's sure to be emotional for Tulane, which SMU hosted for a time after Hurricane Katrina last fall.

Coach Phil Bennett is well aware, but he's trying to make sure SMU doesn't get caught up in the distractions. He said he won't talk to his team about it. The players have to focus in their own ways, he said. He'll talk instead about SMU's storyline: trying to open Conference USA with a win on the road, which would make the Mustangs 3-2.

"To take your program to another level, you've got to be able to prove you can win on the road," Bennett said.

SMU, which will practice Friday in the Superdome, is 0-2 on the road this season and 3-22 under Bennett. Two of the road victories came in 2005.

"The players aren't talking about it [the distractions]," defensive end Justin Rogers said. "We're talking about our team goals and what we need to get there."

Willis maturing: Bennett said he continues to see improvement in redshirt freshman quarterback Justin Willis. He pointed to a play used on the first drive against Arkansas State last week.

On fourth-and-1, Willis used a hard count to draw ASU offsides, but, as designed, kept playing after the flag. He found Bobby Chase for a 40-yard gain, setting up a touchdown on the next play. Only center Ben Poynter, Willis and Chase move during the play to fool the opponent.

"We practice it, but it takes maturity to execute it," Bennett said.

Briefly: Tulane won, 31-10, at SMU last year. Bennett said the game was played under difficult circumstances because Hurricane Rita had forced several of the SMU players' families to flee Houston for North Texas and were staying in the players' apartments. ... Rogers shaved off his shoulder-length locks before last week's game. Bennett implied that might have had something to do with Rogers' three sacks. Rogers said he didn't think so, but joked that if change helps "I'd do some pretty drastic stuff – tattoos or nose piercings," he said.